9/21/2018 5 Things We Can Learn from Barbie Savior — The PaperSeed Foundation

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3 EASY WAYS
5 THINGS WE CAN LEARN FROM BARBIE YOU CAN HELP:

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2) Support Our Cause

Education can unlock the potential

We now live in a world where Instagram accounts can provide of children and young people
today, allowing them to secure
sharp social commentary. Or, at least, they can try. Barbie Savior is
their futures for tomorrow. Please
an Instagram parody account with a mission: to start a join us in our mission to strengthen
conversation about the actions (and potentially negative much-needed opportunities for
better education globally.
consequences) of voluntourists of the world. Voluntourism, for
those not yet in the know, is the act of flying out to a foreign
CellMark provides financial
country to work on a volunteer project. It blends exotic support for all operating expenses.
vacationing with humanitarian purpose. As such, 100 % of donations

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9/21/2018 5 Things We Can Learn from Barbie Savior — The PaperSeed Foundation

The creators of the Barbie Savior Instagram account are currently directly benefit educational
projects.
anonymous, identifying themselves as two twenty-something
white women who have done aid work in East Africa and (sadly)
committed many of the faux pas that Barbie Savior chronicles on D O N AT E

her Instagram account:

3) Join the Conversation

“Barbie Savior, we hope, is an entertaining jumping off
point for some very real discussions, debates, and
resolves.”

Jumping from just over 7,000 likes to over 75,000 in a matter of

days, it seems people are getting the joke. Thousands of news
outlets have written about the parody account, and those in the
know got a good laugh out of the ridiculous images and clever
hashtags at Barbie Savior’s expense. But among all of the articles,
one in particular got our attention:

“ Maybe some will see the account and think twice

about the images they share. Others might see the
account after going on a trip and realize the error of
their ways. But for the most part, the problem will persist
and the next clever way to make fun of the white savior
complex will emerge to the acclaim of the already-

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9/21/2018 5 Things We Can Learn from Barbie Savior — The PaperSeed Foundation

converted. It is not known how to cause needed

changes in attitudes. Barbie Savior makes a worthy
attempt, but let’s not overinflate what it can do.”

We humbly beg to differ. Barbie Savior started a conversation in

the non profit and foreign aid sectors, and got us asking ourselves
some important questions. Here are five things you can take away
from this account:

1) Intention isn’t everything

No one is saying you shouldn’t volunteer. Volunteering is a

wonderful thing to do, and plenty of people volunteer abroad and
make an impact. What should be considered, however, is what
you’re doing and how your work will impact the community you’re
aiding long-term.

Plenty of reputable organizations, like Doctors Without Borders

and Oxfam, take on volunteers with specific professional skills and
do a lot of good. If you’re interested in volunteering abroad, we
are happy to connect you to our network of partners in the field.
One such partner is our grantee, The Kilgoris Project, who can
provide you with meaningful experiences that can create deeper
connections with the people you visit and strengthen a network of
international philanthropists and humanitarians.

2) Voluntourism can take jobs away from people.

As we learned with TOMS shoes, well-meaning but misguided aid

attempts can crush local industries. As is the example with TOMS,
giving a large number of free shoes, shirts, etc, to people in a
developing area can reduce demand for the items and deflate
local employment in that sector. This has also been documented
with Habitat, which takes away jobs from local construction
workers. A number of Peace Corps Volunteers end up living in the
Habitat houses, and often the families that know how to apply
aren’t always the most needy – they are the most educated.

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9/21/2018 5 Things We Can Learn from Barbie Savior — The PaperSeed Foundation

Gathering resources and showing up to build a school for orphans

is an extremely noble sentiment, but consider that perhaps the
money you spent flying out to that country could have been
donated to a local NGO so that they could hire someone in the
area to do that job? This isn’t always the case, which is why it is so
important to thoroughly vet any organization you wish to donate
to or volunteer for. Good NGOs are transparent about where
money goes and the impact that they make. This leads in to our
next lesson...

3) In many cases, organizations need your money more than

your help.

This is an unpopular idea, primarily because people have an

enduring fear that their money will be misused. However, there
are reputable organizations on the ground in these countries that
need donations, not volunteers. They have good ideas, are
running good programs, and often need a boost of financial
support to help expand a program or provide more services.
Supporting leaders from reputable organizations in these
countries can often be more effective than spending money to fly
out and volunteer. We are very proud that 100% of our donations
go directly to vetted, locally-led projects with rigorous due
diligence.

4) There are no quick fixes.

No country, no region, no culture, and no community exists

without problems. In the United States we continue to debate
about how best to address problems with education (common
core, testing, teacher retention and compensation), environmental
issues, and civil rights, just to name a few. The problems we tackle
here are deep rooted, and couldn’t possibly be fully addressed by
a single NGO project.

That same thinking applies for issues faced in the global south.
Change requires more than money and hard work. It requires

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9/21/2018 5 Things We Can Learn from Barbie Savior — The PaperSeed Foundation

teamwork, dedication, resources, and community buy-in; these

are problems that cannot be solved by a short-term volunteer
stint.

5) Everyone Deserves Respect.

This, above all things. If you do plan to go abroad and volunteer,

it’s important to approach the experience with sensitivity and
respect. Caren McCormack, Co-Founder of The Kilgoris Project
wrote an excellent piece last summer titled “6 Reasons We Don’t
Do Poverty Tourism”. In it, she writes:

“ I’ve heard travelers come away from a scripted experience

with one of two thoughts. These people are poor and sad. Or
these people are poor, but happy. Both get the first part right;
neither hits the truth. The lives of the world’s poor are not
different than our own. They are complex. They have high and
lows, good days and bad days. They have best friends,
embarrassing uncles, family baggage, funny anecdotes and
inside jokes. When we don’t really connect with people, we
miss the intricacies of real life.”

That’s where people behaving like Barbie Savior get it wrong. The
people in her images are elaborate accessories, not friends or
new colleagues. Pictures are often hashtagged with
“#povertyporn”, which is a real and pervasive issue in the Non
Profit and Volunteer sector. If you choose to take photos with and
of people (at home, or abroad) get their consent, and consider
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9/21/2018 5 Things We Can Learn from Barbie Savior — The PaperSeed Foundation

whether you are showing these people in a way that preserves

their dignity and humanity. Ask yourself, if you were on the other
side of the lens, how you would feel about the picture being
taken?

Africa is a densely populated continent made up of 54 ethnically

and culturally diverse countries, and it should not be defined
solely by the areas that need aid. There is a lot we can learn from
the gaffes other people (or in Barbie Savior’s case, imaginary
people) make. Should you be interested in going abroad and
volunteering, it is important to choose a project that has long-term
benefits, with a reputable NGO (and it’s best if you have a
desirable skill, vocational training, etc.) If you’re interested in
learning more about these kinds of opportunities or how you can
get involved with foreign aid, we encourage you to contact us.

 Honoring Our 2016 Recycled ... Recycled Materials Art Competition: ... 

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9/21/2018 5 Things We Can Learn from Barbie Savior — The PaperSeed Foundation

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